Tapestry: Norwegians gather for early celebration of Syttende MaiThe other day a fellow Norwegian had the urge to share his obligatory “Sven and Ole” joke. It had something to do with the guys burying their friend, Thorvald, at sea with a shovel. Lest those outside our circle form their opinion about Norskies through the “square head” jokes, I must say that Norwegians are proud of their history and culture, which gave the world the melodies of Edvard Grieg, the plays of Henrik ...

Tapestry: Overnight celebrity heads Young Life conference in KodiakFor a fleeting moment in the grand scheme of things, Brent Cunningham gained national fame. But what ultimately matters to this statewide director of Young Life, a Christian ministry that works with high schoolers, is the eternal. Cunningham, who lives in Sitka, was one of the thousands who ran in the Boston Marathon. Less than an hour after he reached the finish line, the bomb exploded. As he and his wife, Karen,...

Another Day in Paradise: Time for changeOne of the most impressive sights to me was many years ago on a visit into Washington, D.C. While my friends and I were touring the Smithsonian museums and the many monuments throughout our capital city, we made our way over to Arlington and watched the changing of the guard on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The changing of the guard at the tomb is flawlessly carried out at regular intervals every day, and while...

Tapestry: Bell choir concert rings out for Orthodox EasterHistorically, bells have announced news that soars the height and plumbs the depth of human experience: the birth of a child, the death of elders, the crowning of a sovereign, marriage, war and invasion. In Kodiak, the bells of Holy Resurrection Church clanged through the dark, ash-laden atmosphere calling people to a place of safety following the June 1912 Katmai eruption. Early Sunday, bells will ring in celebra...

Another Day in Paradise: Time to clean upMay is clean-up month. This week, we will pay just a little more attention to picking up the litter that lines our streets and roadways. On Saturday, there will be crews out all over town to spruce up our image one more time before we get overrun with new faces so we can show them our best side. It doesn’t matter where you are, people seem to think roadways are their trash bins. Done with that McDonalds wrapper or...

Tapestry: Lenten fast is not ‘punishment’ but means of spiritual growth“Why don’t the followers of Jesus fast?” wondered the disciples of John the Baptist. Since then, questions about fasting — refraining from certain types of food or any food — have abounded. Why do Christians fast? What benefits does fasting have? Why do Christians fast during Lent — the 40 days before Easter? Some scoff at the whole idea of prescribed fasting, which for Orthodox Christians means eating no animal p...

Another Day in Paradise: The secret's outThis has been a great week to walk the dogs early in the morning. The tide has been out, giving us some beautiful beach time on Mission Beach. Our little dog, Smidgeon, checks out every strip of kelp because she just knows there are some treasures there to eat. The people may tidepool for treasures, but she scavenges the scraps that the seagulls have somehow missed. Our chocolate lab rushes across the sand and spl...

Another Day in Paradise: An act of graceThe old adage says, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” We have all seen pictures taken by great photographers that give credence to that thought. Right here in Kodiak, we have some great photographers whose pictures are shared on the walls of the Fly-By from time to time by the Arts Council. Sometimes those pictures are shared by the Chamber of Commerce or Discover Kodiak on printed media or online. Sometimes ...

Tapestry: Former Kodiak resident involved with prison ministry Statistics can be discouraging to those who want to make a difference in the lives of prisoners. As former Kodiak resident, David Phillips, ministers to prisoners at the Palmer Correctional Center, he’s aware that 75 percent of those who are incarcerated return to prison. He finds another statistic that is encouraging: faith-based programs, such as the one he is involved with, have only a 35 percent rate of recidi...

Another Day in Paradise: The Mold Of SinMy wife and I are in Angoon this week as part of a six-member team that is clearing out some buildings in preparation for a contractor to arrive and assess for repairs. This has been a most interesting week. Our weather has been typical Kodiak weather. One day it began overcast, turned windy, rained, hailed, snowed several times, and closed clear and calm. The buildings have been vacant and without heat since 2004...